About one of every eight veterans under the age of 65 is uninsured, a finding that contradicts the assumption many have that all vets qualify for free health care through the Veterans Affairs Department, says a new study.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School projected that about 1.8 million veterans overall lack health coverage. That's an increase of 290,000 since 2000. The researchers said most uninsured veterans are in the middle class and are ineligible for VA care because of their incomes. Still others cannot afford their copayments, or lack VA facilities in their community.

''Like other uninsured Americans, most uninsured vets are working people -- too poor to afford private coverage but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid or means-tested VA care,'' said Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, an associate professor and a physician at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

The study is based on an analysis of government surveys released between 1988 and 2005. Veterans do fare better than the overall population when it comes to obtaining health insurance. Still, the Harvard researchers said the rising number of uninsured vets points to the need for more funding for the VA. The best solution, they said, would be for universal health coverage in the United States.

''Only the government can put men and women into military service and only the government can guarantee that they are covered after they serve,'' said Dr. Jeffrey Scavron.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Rarely do people get what they deserve. Scooter Libby deserved to spend time in prison. Bush, Cheney et al deserve first impeachment, then conviction and removal from office and finally trial as war criminals. Children and all citizens deserve health care. Veterans have EARNED their health care. It is one of our greater obscenities that they do not get it. Until the needs of our veterans are completely fulfilled not one more dollar in corporate welfare should be spent. I call the contractors and most money spent in Iraq a treasonous form of corporate welfare.

_________________“I'm not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat.”-Will Rogers

Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.

And homelessness is not just a problem among middle-age and elderly veterans. Younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are trickling into shelters and soup kitchens seeking services, treatment or help with finding a job.

The Veterans Affairs Department has identified 1,500 homeless veterans from the current wars and says 400 of them have participated in its programs specifically targeting homelessness.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education nonprofit, based the findings of its report on numbers from Veterans Affairs and the Census Bureau. 2005 data estimated that 194,254 homeless people out of 744,313 on any given night were veterans.

Life in America for many of those who "kept America safe."

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Roughly 20,000 soldiers who aren’t on the military’s list of combat wounded have signs of brain injury, according to an analysis of Army, Navy and Veterans Affairs data conducted by USA Today. The Pentagon’s official tally of troops who’ve suffered brain trauma in combat is 4,471—one-fifth the total gleaned from military records.

Read more at the link.

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"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

This is a comment made by louise- It is long but for those in a hurry- the skinny-

Quote:

#115616 by Louise on 11/24 at 6:15 pm(284 comments total)

We are told the increase incidents of brain damage in our returning troops is because of the roadside bombs.

That is a lie!

The increase in brain damage is because of the new helmets these guys wear. They have no protection at the base of the skull and absolutely no protection at the neck. Now, I am sure somebody, or perhaps I should say some “buddy” somewhere is making a great deal of money making Rummy’s new design, but why doesn’t anyone take a look at this? Come to think of it I know the answer to that. Because nobody who should, cares. .........<snip>.........“Wounded Iraq veterans driven out of public pool when told they might scare children”

“Soldiers who suffered appalling injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan were verbally abused as they swam in a public swimming pool. During a weekly rehabilitation class at a council leisure centre, 15 servicemen – including several who have lost limbs or suffered severe burns – were heckled and jeered by members of the public.”

“One woman was so incensed that the troops were using the pool ... she told them they did not deserve to be there.”

“The abuse was witnessed by 79-year-old Korean War veteran Charles Murrin, who said yesterday: “I could not believe what she was saying. “The lane was roped off, which they do every week. It wasn’t as if the pool was completely closed. Her group had the rest of the pool to swim in. “She said the men do not deserve to be in there and that she pays money to come in the pool and they don’t.”

“The soldiers, who use the pool as part of a water therapy course, were quickly ordered out by their instructor to avoid further embarrassment.”

***

This happened in Surrey England, not here. But is that only because the wounded are carefully kept out of our sight here?

Says so much like thank you for your sacrifices and what can I do to help ease the pain. No empathy or feeling outside, just a wanton greed developed by years of thinking I ME MINE.

Support the troops means more than hiding the damaged and the effects of war from our sight. It means feeling what they feel too and wishing they had never been through it to get these terrible injuries!

Another reason why war must die. We wouldn't have to see these realities that we have been posting here, ever again.

_________________Completely sane world
madness the only freedom

An ability to see both sides of a question
one of the marks of a mature mind

The higher fees would help cover sky-rocketing medical costs, but many local veterans said the plan is not fair. They said they paid for their insurance upfront on the battlefield, and should not have to reach into their wallets now.

"I don't think it's fair for any of them that have served the country to get anymore increases than they already received in the past," said veteran Ed Fiorella.

The Defense Department has proposed increases in recent years, but each time, Congress blocked the plan.

Apparently the willingness to take-on the "ultimate sacrifice" does not warrant our government making economic sacrifices for our troops.

The higher fees would help cover sky-rocketing medical costs, but many local veterans said the plan is not fair. They said they paid for their insurance upfront on the battlefield, and should not have to reach into their wallets now.

"I don't think it's fair for any of them that have served the country to get anymore increases than they already received in the past," said veteran Ed Fiorella.

The Defense Department has proposed increases in recent years, but each time, Congress blocked the plan.

Apparently the willingness to take-on the "ultimate sacrifice" does not warrant our government making economic sacrifices for our troops.

If we had single payer health care this wouldn't be happening. Not only is our government fighting single payer health care, it is now making it even harder for veterans to get the health care they earned by fighting our battles right there on the battlefield.

Reagan ran on the idea of 'values'. Unfortunately, true values are tragically missing in this country.

During his administration they debated the idea of having a "means testing" for veterans to determine who qualified for Veterans Adminstration benefits. Doesn't sound like he had much value for veterans' services either.

At the time:

Quote:

... when veterans reach 65 years of age, they are automatically eligible for medical care on request, without regard to financial need, if space is available in V.A. hospitals and nursing homes.

But something went awry. Bush imposted means testing. He did that for the vets and medicare patients as well.